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1. Seldom ______ such a cogent and meticulously researched argument presented in a single monograph.

2. The report's conclusions, far from being groundbreaking, were rather ______ and offered little new insight into the matter.

3. It is imperative that the research committee ______ its preliminary findings before the annual symposium.

4. If the ancient civilization had possessed more advanced metallurgical techniques, its architectural achievements ______ far more durable.

5. ______ the overwhelming evidence presented by the prosecution, the defendant continued to profess his innocence.

6. ______ the project under budget and ahead of schedule, the manager was commended by the board of directors.

7. Under no circumstances ______ authorized to access the classified server without explicit clearance from the department head.

8. The team's failure to secure funding was ______ by its perfunctory and uninspired grant proposal.

9. The philosophical treatise was so ______ that only a handful of scholars in the field could fully grasp its central arguments.

10. The new policy, ______ implications are still being analyzed, is expected to fundamentally alter the dynamics of international trade.

11. So profound was the philosopher's influence ______ subsequent schools of thought invariably had to define themselves in relation to his work.

12. The politician chose to ______ populist rhetoric, preferring instead a more nuanced and data-driven approach to policymaking.

13. ______ to have originated in the 17th century, the manuscript's authenticity is now being questioned by paleographers.

14. The CEO's apology was seen as largely ______; it lacked genuine contrition and seemed calculated to appease shareholders.

15. Were the government ______ its proposed austerity measures, it would likely face significant public backlash.

16. The study's ambiguous results fail to ______ the disparate outcomes observed in the two control groups.

17. His ______ assertions were not supported by empirical evidence, rendering his entire argument tenuous at best.

18. The organization remains committed ______ a culture of inclusivity and intellectual curiosity among its members.

19. ______ a well-established theoretical framework, the research felt arbitrary and lacked clear direction.

20. The term 'epistemological break' refers to a radical shift in the fundamental concepts and principles ______ a scientific discipline.

21. The diplomat's ability to remain ______ in the face of intense provocation was a testament to his experience and self-control.

22. It was the discovery of anomalous orbital patterns, ______ pure mathematical deduction, that ultimately led to the identification of Neptune.

23. A critical analysis of the text reveals a ______ of unchecked assumptions and logical fallacies.

Bài đọc hiểu

The Demarcation Problem in Philosophy of Science

The demarcation problem—distinguishing science from non-science and pseudo-science—has been a central, albeit contentious, issue in the philosophy of science. Sir Karl Popper famously proposed falsifiability as the decisive criterion. According to Popper, a theory is scientific only if it is falsifiable, meaning it must be possible to conceive of an observation or an argument which could refute it. This stands in stark contrast to the verifiability principle of logical positivism, which held that a statement is meaningful only if it is empirically verifiable. Popper argued that theories like Marxism or psychoanalysis, while possessing considerable explanatory power, were not scientific because they were infinitely malleable; they could be adapted to accommodate any observation, thereby rendering them irrefutable and, by his standard, unscientific. For Popper, the strength of a scientific theory lies not in its ability to be proven true—a logical impossibility, he contended—but in its capacity to withstand rigorous attempts at falsification. While Popper's criterion has been immensely influential, it is not without its critics. Philosophers like Thomas Kuhn have argued that 'normal science' often involves puzzle-solving within an established paradigm, where anomalies are initially set aside rather than treated as outright falsifications of the entire theoretical framework.

1. What is the primary purpose of the passage?

2. According to Popper, what is the fundamental weakness of theories like psychoanalysis?

3. It can be inferred from the passage that Popper would view a scientific theory that has survived many refutation attempts as...

4. The word 'malleable' in the context of the passage is closest in meaning to:

5. How does Thomas Kuhn's view, as described in the passage, challenge Popper's criterion?

6. The passage suggests that the verifiability principle was a central tenet of which philosophical school?

Deglobalization and Geostrategic Realignment

The paradigm of hyper-globalization, characterized by intricate just-in-time supply chains and the relentless pursuit of cost efficiency, is facing unprecedented headwinds. A confluence of factors—including geopolitical rivalries, the COVID-19 pandemic's exposure of systemic fragilities, and a rising tide of economic nationalism—is catalyzing a shift towards what analysts term 'deglobalization' or, more precisely, a 'geostrategic realignment' of the global economy. This process does not necessarily entail a complete retreat from international trade, but rather a reprioritization of objectives. Resilience and security are increasingly supplanting pure efficiency as the primary drivers of corporate and state policy. Nations are now more inclined to 'friend-shore' or 're-shore' critical production, favoring geopolitical allies or domestic locations over the most cost-effective ones. This recalibration carries profound implications. While it may enhance national security and supply chain robustness, it also portends higher consumer costs, inflationary pressures, and a potential fragmentation of the global market into competing economic blocs. The seamless, borderless economy envisioned at the turn of the millennium appears to be ceding ground to a more fractured and contentious geopolitical landscape.

1. What is the central argument of the passage?

2. The term 'friend-shore' most likely means...

3. Which of the following is identified as a potential negative consequence of this economic shift?

4. It can be inferred that the 'just-in-time' supply chain model is...

5. The author's tone can best be described as:

6. According to the passage, the COVID-19 pandemic served to...

The Nuances of Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity, the brain's remarkable capacity to reorganize its structure and function in response to experience, has become a ubiquitous concept in popular science. This phenomenon, which underpins learning and memory, involves the strengthening or weakening of synaptic connections—a process encapsulated by the maxim, 'neurons that fire together, wire together.' However, the popular portrayal often oversimplifies its mechanisms. Neuroplasticity is not merely about creating new connections; it also involves 'synaptic pruning,' a crucial process where redundant or weak connections are eliminated, streamlining neural circuits for greater efficiency. This is particularly salient during development but continues throughout life. Furthermore, plasticity is not uniformly beneficial. Maladaptive plasticity, for instance, can contribute to chronic pain syndromes or post-traumatic stress disorder, where neural pathways become entrenched in dysfunctional patterns. Understanding these nuances is paramount for therapeutic applications. Harnessing plasticity to promote recovery from brain injury or mitigate cognitive decline in aging requires targeted interventions that can encourage constructive reorganization while discouraging the reinforcement of detrimental neural circuits. The challenge lies not in simply inducing plasticity, but in guiding it towards a functionally advantageous state.

1. What is the main point the author makes about the popular understanding of neuroplasticity?

2. The passage indicates that 'synaptic pruning' is a process that...

3. What does the concept of 'maladaptive plasticity' imply?

4. What is the primary challenge in using neuroplasticity for therapeutic purposes, according to the passage?

Post-structuralism and the 'Death of the Author'

Post-structuralist thought, particularly as articulated in Roland Barthes' seminal essay 'The Death of the Author,' represents a profound challenge to traditional literary criticism. The conventional approach had long privileged the author's biography and stated intentions as the ultimate source of a text's meaning. Post-structuralism deconstructs this notion, arguing that the 'author' is a modern construct and that meaning is not something deposited into a text to be excavated by the reader. Instead, meaning is generated in the act of reading itself, within a vast, impersonal network of cultural codes, conventions, and pre-existing texts—what is often termed 'intertextuality.' Barthes contends that to give a text an author is to impose a limit on it, to furnish it with a final signified. By metaphorically 'killing' the author, the reader is liberated from this tyranny of singular intent, and the text opens up to a multiplicity of interpretations. The focus thus shifts from deciphering an author's message to exploring the play of language and the structures of meaning-making in which both reader and text are enmeshed. This perspective does not deny the existence of a person who wrote the words, but rather contests the hegemony of that person's intention over the text's potential significations.

1. What is the central argument of post-structuralism regarding textual meaning, as described in the passage?

2. The phrase 'the hegemony of that person's intention' is closest in meaning to:

3. According to Barthes, what is the consequence of focusing on the author?

4. Based on the passage, a post-structuralist critic would most likely agree with which statement?